All in the Family
by luckyducky09
Summary: After the infamous Uncle Larry has a serious freak accident, Abby's cousins come to stay with her and the team finally gets some answers about Abby's past. Why does Gibbs know ASL? Why does she call her mom Gloria? Humor and chaos is bound to ensue.
1. There's More

All in the Family

After the infamous Uncle Larry has a near fatal freak accident, the team finally gets some insight into the relationship between Abby and Gibbs when Larry's kids come to stay with their favorite cousin Abby. Humor and chaos is bound to ensue.

Since he was almost forty minutes late, Tony was expecting to find Gibbs furiously sitting at his desk sipping coffee but instead he found the desk empty, although McGee and Ziva were both seated at their desks.

"Where's Gibbs?" Tony asked.

"He's not here." McGee said.

"I can see that Probie. Where is he? Getting coffee or something?" Tony asked.

"Actually, he's not here yet." McGee said.

"What? Gibbs is late? Gibbs is never late. Has anybody heard from him?" Tony asked.

"Yes, he said he'll be here by 0800 and that if you weren't here by then your fired." Ziva said.

"You told him I wasn't here?! Why would you do that?!"

"We had to. He kept calling and asking to speak to you. We covered for you for the first thirty minutes." Ziva said.

"Really? You guys covered for me? How sweet." Tony said jokingly. He noticed Ziva and McGee exchange an awkward glance.

"What was that?" He asked.

"What was what?" Ziva asked.

"That look. What was that look?" Tony clarified.

"What look?" McGee asked innocently.

Tony finally put the pieces together.

"Where did you guys tell Gibbs I was?" Tony asked.

"In the head." McGee said.

"The head? For thirty minutes? No wonder he didn't believe you." Tony said.

"Actually, he believed that part. McGee told him you had--" Ziva started to explain but McGee interrupted her.

"Food poisoning. We said you had food poisoning." McGee said, his ears turning bright red.

"Your red ears are telling a different story there Elf Lord. What'd you really tell him? I had herpes?" Tony asked.

"He's telling the truth Tony. I was there when he said it. He told Gibbs you 'had it coming out both ends.' Whatever that means." Ziva said.

Tony quickly head slapped McGee.

"Ow. What was that for? At least Gibbs believed my excuse. Ziva's the one who blew it." McGee said.

"What'd she say?" Tony asked.

"All I told him wast that Abby said it was disgusting." Ziva said defensively.

"What's so bad about that?" Tony asked confused.

"Nothing, except that apparently Gibbs is with Abby." McGee said.

"How was I supposed to know that?! I had to no reason to assume Abby wasn't down in her lab." Ziva said.

"Okay, that's enough children. Do we know what Gibbs is doing with Abby?" Tony asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"He didn't tell us and we're not stupid enough to ask." Ziva explained.

Tony ignored Ziva's comment as he walked over to his desk, dropped his bag, and hit the power button on his computer.

"Let's get to work before Gibbs gets here and kills us all. I'll have to ask Abby what they were doing later." Tony instructed 'his' team.

It was now 0750 which meant Tony had ten minutes at the most before Gibbs would arrive and he had to at least look like he was working, which was pretty hard to fake if your computer wasn't on.

Sure enough, a few minutes after Tony sat down at his desk to start "working" he heard the familiar ding of the elevator doors, but Tony knew better than to look away from his computer screen.

It wasn't until he heard running instead of the usual eerie silent footsteps of Gibbs, that he looked up.

Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. Two red headed little boys were standing in between him and Ziva, with NCIS visitor passes clipped to their shirts but their was no NCIS agent with them.

"Excuse me." One of the asked Ziva.

"Yes." Ziva answered.

"Do you work here?" The other one asked.

Tony could no see that the boys were without a doubt siblings, either close in age or twins.

"Yes." Ziva said, making a face at the odd question.

"Where's the potty?" The first one asked.

"What's a potty?" Ziva asked them, causing them to both burst into laughter.

"She must be a probie. Let's go ask him." Tony heard the second one say before the darted across the room to McGee's desk

"Hey dude. Do you know where the potty is?" The first one asked McGee, who was taken aback. McGee was too shocked to answer so the boys let out a sigh of frustration and walked away.

"Does anybody know where the freakin' potty is in the place?! I gotta take a leak!" The first boy said rather loudly causing a few passing agents to pause and look at them.

"It's up those stairs and down the hall. I'll help you." Tony told him.

"Do I look like I'm four and a half? I think I can manage to take a leak all by myself if _somebody _would just tell me WHERE THE BATHROOM IS!" He yelled.

"Daniel, Dylan, I see you've met DiNozzo. Believe it or not he really is my senior field agent, although you wouldn't know it since he was an hour late. DiNozzo, will you please escort these two guys to the bathroom while I go find the rest of their siblings." Gibbs said, appearing out of nowhere with a fresh cup of coffee.

"Oh, hey boss, I didn't know you were here yet. Yeah, I'll take them. Are they the reason you were late? My food poisoning is much better by the way, thanks for asking." Tony asked, earning him a head slap from Gibbs.

"Taking him now boss. Let's go fellas." Tony said.

"You two keep an eye on him until I get back. If he does anything he's not supposed to, you tell me when I get back. And you don't have to scream to get his attention, just slap him in the back of the head. Remember, you have to keep the noise level down, this is a federal office building not a gym. After you go to the head, you guys can play on my computer until I get back. And DiNozzo, whatever you do, don't let them out of your sight." Gibbs instructed the boys.

"Yes, Gibbs" and "You got it, Gibbs" were the two replies. Then just as quickly as he appeared, Gibbs disappeared again.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Ziva asked McGee as she watched Tony chase the two boys up the steps.

"Yeah, Gibbs said please." McGee said, smiling.

"No, I meant there's more of them." Ziva explained, wiping the smile right off McGee's face.


	2. Of Golf Balls and Gofers

**Chapter Two:** Of Golf Balls and Gofers

**Disclaimer:** Forgot to put this in the first chapter, but I guess it's better late than never. Sadly, NCIS isn't mine as I am not Donald P. Bellisario. Chip, Sarah McGee, and producer David Bellisario aren't my kids nor is Gibbs' mysterious red head my forth wife. Also, anything you recognize isn't mine as well as most of the stuff you don't recognize with the exception of Abby's cousins and everything about Uncle Larry other than his name.

* * *

Gibbs headed down to Abby's lab to find the missing members of what Abby called _the Sciuto Squad_. For once, she didn't have the stuff she called music blaring, another sign of how hard this was on her.

This, of course, referring to the fact that her Uncle Larry lay in a hospital bed, fighting for his life, after a freak accident.

When her Laurence "Larry" Sciuto dropped out of college to follow his dreams of owning his own business his parents practically disowned him. They thought he was throwing away his life, that he'd never be able to get anywhere in life. Twenty years later, his company was pulling in millions every year and he was the happiest man on earth.

He made his own hours, working as little or as much as he wanted, and he frequently worked from his 6500 square foot home that he shared with the love of his life: his children, all six of them as well as their three dogs and three cats.

His youngest child Danielle, just turned six and the oldest Matthew, 18, was a couple months away from starting college.

Though he came from a large family, Larry was only in contact with three family members other than his kids. His baby brother, Jimmy, who these days was known as Lt. Col. James Sciuto, United States Air Force, and his two cousins: Abby and Andy Sciuto.

Part of what made Larry so successful was that he always did everything himself: he never hired help for something that could be done himself.

So when a stubborn gofer was wreaking havoc on the Sciuto family front lawn, as always, Larry decided to take matters into his own hands.

He was now paying the price for that decision with the fight of his life literally.

Larry tried to hit the the gofer with a golf ball, but he slipped and fell head first down two flights of steps.

Now Abby was stuck with dealing with the near loss of her favorite Uncle while trying to comfort his young children who didn't understand and his teenagers who understood all too well.

And as always, the person beside her through all the hard times, was her boss, NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

As soon as she heard her lab doors hiss open, she knew it was him coming to check on her. She softly tapped the shoulder of her six year old Danielle, who was quietly reading on Abby's futon, to get her attention since she was deaf.

She quickly signed 'Gibbs is here'

Danielle dropped the book and darted out of Abby's office into the lab and tackled Gibbs, who quickly picked her up.

Gibbs knew as the youngest, she was the most confused about her father's injury.

Abby joined them a few seconds later.

"Where are the boys?" Abby asked.

"DiNozzo's taking them to the bathroom and then he's gonna watch them until I get back." Gibbs said.

"Wow. What'd he do to deserve that?" Abby asked.

"Nothing, other than being almost an hour late for work and having Ziva and McGee cover for him." Gibbs said.

"He was only an hour late and your punishing him by making him watch the boys? Wow, remind me never to be late." Abby said.

"Abby they're not that bad." Gibbs said, smirking.

"Yes, they are and you know it. You gave them pop-tarts and fruit loops for breakfast, they're gonna be running around like crazy all day. Remember the last time we saw them at Jimmy's change of command ceremony? Dylan bit Uncle Larry's friend, Father Riceman, Fessa kicked you in your bad knee, and while Jimmy's C.O. was giving his speech Daniel yelled 'I don't wanna hear this guy talk, he's boring! I wanna hear Uncle Jimmy!' They weren't even on a sugar high that day."

Unaware Danielle, who everyone calls Fessa, was trying to read Abby's lips, Gibbs was surprised when he felt a familiar tap on his shoulder and Fessa signed "What about me and Uncle Jimmy?"

He couldn't help but smile at her sneakiness.

He placed her down on the floor so he could sign.

"We were just talking about the last time I saw you." Gibbs signed as he spoke.

Fessa nodded and then turned to Abby and signed "I didn't mean to kick him"

Abby laughed and signed "I know you didn't mean to kick Gibbs."

"Where's Mike?" Gibbs asked.

"I could tell his knee was bothering him so I sent him down to Ducky. Speaking of Mikey, I got a call from Matt's boss. Their flight out of Tokyo was delayed because of bad weather so they just arrived in Orlando. They think they'll be here by 1800 instead of 1400." Abby explained.

"Did he say how they were handling it?" Gibbs asked.

"He said in ten years he's known them, when he told them about the accident it was the first time he ever saw either of them cry. He also said Megan and a couple other people that went with them caught some minor food poisoning or something. They all have gotten sick in the past two days. Luckily there's a doctor with them and she said none of them have anything serious." Abby explained.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to deal with that when they get here." Gibbs said.

"Gibbs, can you take her with you? She didn't sleep well last night so she won't as much trouble as the boys. I just can't work with her asking me every five minutes when she can see her dad. It's too much." Abby pleaded.

"I'll take her Abs, she'll be fine." Gibbs said before signing "We'll have lots of fun" to Fessa who nodded.

"Just go make sure the boys didn't kill Tony." Abby said, before quickly disappearing into her office, returning a moment later with Fessa's book.

Fessa clung tightly to Gibbs' hand as they walked to the elevator.

Meanwhile, up on the third floor, all hell had broken loose in the form of two red-headed Sciutos.

* * *

**A/N:** That's it for chapter two. I know there wasn't as much humor in this one as the first, but Chapter Three: "Things Happen in Three" will be much funnier. 


	3. Things Happen in Three

**Chapter Three**: Things Happen in Three

* * *

As soon as he reached the bathroom, Tony DiNozzo had every intention on following the two young boys through the door to keep an eye on them. 

Gibbs told him not to take his eyes off of them for a second, and for once he more worried about why Gibbs told him to do something than the consequences of Gibbs finding out he disobeyed a direct order.

So when he first followed the boys into the head, he planned on staying.

But, as with the story of his life, things never turn out the way he expects them to.

As soon as the heavy, metal door closed behind him Tony was met with two sets of matching green eyes.

"What are you doing in here?" One of them asked.

Tony was too busy trying to remember the boys names to answer.

It was something with a D. David? No, that wasn't it. Douglas? Drew?

His thoughts were interrupted by a smack on the shoulder.

"What was that for?" Tony asked the boy that was laughing.

"You were ignoring Daniel and I couldn't reach your head."

"That's it. Daniel." Tony said aloud.

"What?" Daniel asked.

"I was just trying to remember your names." Tony said.

"Oh. Well I'm Daniel and he's Dylan. Try to remember them this time and keep them straight." Daniel said.

"Why are you in here?" Dylan asked.

"Because you needed to go to the bathroom." Tony said.

"I didn't say I needed help going. You can leave now." Dylan said.

"Gibbs told me not to let you two out of my sight and I listen to what he tells me." Tony said.

"No you don't, you goof around all the time. Besides, Dill has a shy bladder so you better leave." Daniel said.

"I don't have a shy bladder, Daniel!" Dylan yelled.

The boys started arguing and Tony realized why his mother never wanted more than one child.

He thought he'd give them a minute, to see if they could work it out amongst themselves.

Thirty seconds later he regretted that decision as their little argument had evolved to a full born war.

"At least when I fart people don't think it was dad and start gasping for air!"

"Well, at least I know how to say stupid in five languages!"

"So do I, you idiot!"

"Butthead!"

"Alright boys, that's enough." Tony said, getting no response.

"Fellas, come on, that's enough." Tony repeated, again with no luck.

"Hey! That's enough you two! Knock it off!" Tony yelled, and finally the boys fell silent.

"Do you two think you can manage to go to the bathroom without ripping each other's throats out?" Tony asked.

Ten minutes after he left for the bathroom with the two boys, Tony returned to his desk alone.

Ziva immediately noticed something was off.

"Where are the boys?" Ziva asked.

"In the head." Tony replied.

"I thought Gibbs told you not to let them out of your sight?" McGee asked, joining Ziva at Tony's desk.

"Back off McFlower Power, get your own desk. This one's mine." Tony said.

"Seriously Tony, where are they?" Ziva asked.

"I told you Ziva, they're in the head. Weren't you listening?" Tony asked.

"Why aren't you watching them?" Ziva asked.

"Apparently, because I'm a pedophile." Tony said.

"What?!" McGee and Ziva exclaimed at the same time.

"That was cute. Do you guys practice that while Probie gives you driving lessons? Did you pass Hitting Fire Hydrants 101?" Tony asked.

"Tony, I swear if you don't give me a crooked answer, I'm going to shoot you!" Ziva said angrily.

"It's straight answer, Ziva, and there's no need to get feisty." Tony replied calmly.

After receiving a 'death glare' from Ziva, Tony finally realized Ziva looked like she just might shoot him if she didn't get some answers.

"I took them up to the bathroom, like Gibbs told me and planned on staying with them. But I was forced to revise my action plan when they started shouting at me that only pedophiles and kidnappers watch kids they don't know go to the bathroom." Tony said.

Ziva and McGee both burst into laughter.

"They didn't?" Ziva asked with a huge grin.

"They did." Tony said, before slapping the back of McGee's head.

"Wipe that smile off your face Probie, this isn't funny." Tony said.

"So you just left them in the bathroom?" Ziva asked.

"Of course not. If they are not back in..." Tony paused grabbing McGee's arm and peered at his watch "in 3 minutes 40 seconds, I'm going to get them."

"Did they really call you a pedophile Tony? I mean they look like they're five. How could they possibly even know what a pedophile is?" Ziva asked.

"I don't know Zee-va" Tony said, intensionally mispronouncing Ziva's name. "Why don't you ask them yourselves when they get back." He added.

"I think I will." Ziva said.

"Good, you can watch them for a few minutes until I get back." Tony said.

"Back from where?" McGee asked.

"Abby's, I'm going to get some answers." Tony said

"Wait, Tony. You can't just leave, Gibbs told you to watch them." McGee said.

"Who's the Senior Field Agent here Probie?! Me. And as senior field agent I'm ordering you and Ziva to watch the boys for a few minutes so I can go talk to Abby." Tony said.

Just as Tony was about to leave, the boys came running down the steps and over to Gibbs' abandoned desk where they quickly realized all eyes were on them.

"What?!" They asked at the exact same time

"Will you two please stop doing that. It freaks me out?" Tony asked.

"Stop what?" They asked in unison again.

"That! Answering at the exact same time!" Tony exclaimed.

"We can't help it." Daniel said, or maybe it was Dylan, Tony was already confused again.

"You guys are twins, yes?" Ziva asked.

"Yes!" and "No!" were there answers.

"Well, which is it. Yes or No?" Tony asked.

"Actually, it's both." A voice said from behind Tony.

**TBC**

**A/N: **While I'm not going to be one of those authors who holds their story hostage until they get x number of reviews, it's a little frustrating that I have twice as many story alerts as I do reviews. So please, if you can take the time to add this story to your story alert, I think you spare a few extra seconds to tell me what it is about this story you like or don't like, which makes me happy. Thanks.

On a separate note, for all you TATE fans, I'm working on my first TATE story as well. I hope to have the first chapter up within a week.


	4. Major Iron Mike

**Chapter Four**: Major Iron Mike

**A/N**: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you all made me very happy. And I can't believe nobody figured out how Daniel and Dylan are both twins and not twins. I thought for sure somebody would figure it out. Yeah me for stumping everyone!

See how fast I update when I get reviews _hint hint_

Now on with the story.

* * *

"Actually, they're both." A voice said from behind Tony. 

Tony, Ziva, and McGee all turned to address the person belonging to the voice as they asked what was on their minds.

"How can they be both?"

"Who are you?"

"They can't be both, can they?"

"Woah! Slow down, will ya. I can only answer one question at a time." The person, a teenage boy whose right leg was in a huge cast and he on crutches said as he hobbled past Tony, sitting down at Gibbs' desk.

He carefully placed his bad leg on Gibbs' desk and all but threw his crutches on the floor.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you." Ziva said.

"It's alright, I know what I'm doing. Ziva right?" He said.

"How do you know my name?" Ziva asked angrily.

"Relax, don't go all Mossad assassin on me. Abby's told me all about you. All of you actually. Your Tony and Tim, right?" The boy asked, pointing to each person as he said their name.

"Okay, who the hel- heck are you?" Tony asked, quickly changing his language when he remembered Daniel and Dylan were in the room.

"He's our brother!" Both boys exclaimed excitedly.

The boy smiled as his younger brothers rushed over to him.

"That's right, I'm Michael Sciuto, but everybody calls me Major Iron Mike. You guys can call me Mike, though." Mike said.

"Major Iron?" Ziva questioned.

"Sciuto?" Tony said.

"Sciuto, as in Abby Sciuto?" McGee asked.

"No, Stan Sciuto the plummer." Mike replied sarcastically.

Tony could definitely see a family resemblance now, he didn't know how he missed it before. Same green eyes, same crazy personality, they even had the same taste in clothing. The only real difference that Tony could see was that Abby had black hair and her three... relatives, all had red hair.

"Right, so can you please explain this whole twin thing." Ziva said.

"I thought you guys forgot." Mike said, clearly enjoying the moment until he got glares from Tony, Ziva, and McGee.

"Alright, already just keep your sigs holstered." Mike said getting a smile from Tony, and a confused look from McGee.

"Daniel and Dylan are in fact identical twins which you probably noticed by now but there's a big catch." Mike said taking a long and unnecessary moment to add suspense.

"The catch is that 20 seconds after Dylan was born, 45 seconds after Daniel was born, they were joined by the baby of the family Fessa." Mike explained.

"So they are both twins and triples?" Ziva asked.

"Triplets." Tony corrected.

"Yes, triplets." Ziva muttered.

"Yep. Doctors call those kinds of triplets a pair and a spare." Mike said.

"So how are you related to Abby?" Tony asked.

"We're cousins. I'm sure you've all heard stories about Uncle Larry, right?"

"Yeah, tons of them." Tony answered.

"Well, he's our father." Mike said.

"But I thought Abby told me her Uncle Larry swore he'd never get married." McGee said.

"Who said anything about him be married. You'd think an MIT graduate would be smart enough to know how the birds and the bees work." Mike said.

"Oh, you'd be surprised at all the things that confuse Probie, Mike. So what all did Abby tell you about us?" Tony asked.

"Pretty much everything." Mike said as he reached into his pocket to grab something, only to turn up empty.

"Dan the Man! Destroyer Dill! You guys want to make some money?" Mike asked his brothers.

Ziva and Tony exchanges glances at the odd names as they watched the twins run over to their brother.

"I think I left my ipod and cell phone in Ducky's lab. Do you remember where that is?" Mike asked.

"Is that the one with all the dead people?!" Daniel asked with a little too much excitement.

"You know it is." Mike said.

"Cool. I wonder if there's bodies all chopped up like last time we went down to see Ducky. That was so awesome!" Dylan said.

"I doubt it, guys. I don't think Meat Puzzles are very common occurrences, which reminds me. If there happen to be any bodies out and you two happen to find a camera, please keep the pictures to yourselves. Your pre-k teacher didn't like you bringing them for show and tell." Mike said.

"Okay, Mike. What do we do once we get down there?" Daniel asked.

"Ask Ducky nicely if he's seen an ipod and/or a cell phone. If they aren't there, try Abby's lab. I'll give you two bucks once you get back." Mike said.

"Two dollars each or two dollars total?" Dylan asked.

"Each, now go and don't do anything you wouldn't do if Daddy or Gibbs were with you." Mike said.

Mike watched the boys run across the third floor to the elevator, letting out a sigh of relief.

"They must drive you crazy at home." Tony commented.

"You get used to it after a while. Actually, the six of us get along pretty good at home. The trick is knowing how to get them to do what you want. They'll pretty much do anything for five or ten bucks. The good thing about 6500 square feet is that you always find somewhere to hide. I'm sure you know what that's like." Mike said, looking directly at Tony.

"I did, yeah." Tony said.

"I'm gonna get back to work before Gibbs gets back." McGee said, returning to his desk before waiting for a response.

Tony was already at his desk, but Ziva, who was standing next to Tony's desk, also returned to her seat.

The trio of agents and Mike Sciuto sat in silence for several minutes, each going about their own tasks.

It was Ziva who finally broke the silence

"You said there are six of you, correct? Are you the oldest child?" Ziva asked.

"Almost, my twin brother Matt beat me by about a minute."Mike said.

At the mention of the word twin all heads turned to face him yet again.

"What can I say? They run in the family. Are there any other questions or can I check my e-mail now?" Mike asked.

"Actually, if you don't mind, I have another question." Ziva said.

"Fire away." Mike said as he turned on Gibbs' computer.

"Why are you called Major Iron Mike?" Ziva

"It's actually a pretty interesting story." Mike said, smiling.

He was about to continue when a loud crashing noise from the elevator interrupted him. As he turned to see what had caused the loud crash the smile quickly disappeared from his face.

**

* * *

**


	5. Trapped

Chapter Five: Trapped

A/N: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed. Enjoy chapter five.

A/N: This is a repost of chapter five. This version should be easier to understand and have more details. Sorry for any confusion. Please let me know what you think.

After recovering from the shock of the loud noise, Tony and Ziva quickly rushed over to the elevator with McGee not far behind them. Other agents were also starting to gather, and although nobody was keeping track, the director arrived in under two minutes and quickly took charge.

After pressing the elevator button several times and the doors wouldn't open, director Sheppard knew they'd have to bring in help.

"Alright, everyone who isn't a member of Special Agent Gibbs' team get back to work." She instructed.

As the other agents went back to work, the director turned to face Tony.

"What happened Tony?" She asked.

"I'm not sure yet, Jenny. There was a loud crash and that's about all I know right now." Tony responded.

"McGee, get me a visual inside that elevator. I want to know how many people are in there and if anyone's injured. Coronate with Abby if you have to.

Tony, get me fire and rescue. Wait for them at the main gate and then escort them here.

Ziva, alert base security, tell them this is being considered an attack until further notice." Jenny instructed.

As she was standing next to the elevator, something, or to be more precise someone, caught her attention.

She quickly approached the red head sitting at Jethro's desk.

Since McGee was the only member of Gibbs' team who was actually at his desk, she turned to him for answers.

"Agent McGee?" Jen asked.

"Yes, director?" McGee asked as he continued with his rapid typing trying to access the security camera in the elevator.

"Who's that?" She asked, pointing to "Major Iron Mike".

"That is a person with feelings." Mike said, surprising both McGee and the director.

"What's your name?" Jen asked.

"Major Iron Mike." Mike said.

"Major Iron?" She questioned.

"It's a long story. Just call me Mike." Mike said.

"Okay, Mike. Do you know who's desk your sitting at?" Jen asked.

"Of course I do, this is Gibbs' desk. I'm young, not stupid, Director Sheppard." Mike said.

"How do you know about me?" Jen asked.

"I have my sources." Mike said, smirking.

"I want a name, Mike." Jenny said.

"It's Abby, director. They're cousins." McGee said.

"Buzz kill!" Mike told McGee.

McGee was about to respond when he finally got connected to the elevator security camera feed.

"Director, I'm in!" McGee said excitedly.

Things inside the elevator were getting a little crazy as the shock started to wear off of it's four occupants.

Gibbs was almost positive the elevator cable snapped, dropping them a good twenty feet, although he knew it damn near impossible for an elevator cable to accidentally break.

He was now trapped in the NCIS elevator with three of Abby's cousins: Matthew, Megan, and Fessa.

"What the hell was that?!" Matt asked once he recovered from the initial shock.

"Sounded like the elevator cable snapped. Don't worry, we survived the landing so the worst is over. I'm sure Jenny will have us out of here in no time. The most important thing is that we all stay calm" Gibbs said.

The security camera video feed was now up on the plasma screen.

As soon as the director saw Gibbs' face on the plasma screen, she whipped out her cell phone and speed dialed Gibbs while watching the plasma for reaction. However, he didn't react, Mike did.

"Do you want me to get that?" He asked, pointing to the ringing cell phone sitting next to his bad leg on Gibbs' desk.

Jenny slammed her phone shut and let out a sigh of frustration.

"I'll take that as a no." Mike said with a smile on his face. Then he looked up at the plasma and immediately got concerned.

Mike saw Gibbs kneeling on the floor of what looked like an elevator, trying to comfort a very sick looking Megan Sciuto, his teenage sister.

Mike also saw his twin brother Matt a few feet away from Gibbs holding a terrified looking Fessa.

Inside the elevator things were getting worse by the minute.

"Well, this sucks." Matt said, making sure Fessa couldn't read his lips. She was scared, he was bored, Meg was sick, and Gibbs looked pissed.

"Matt, I swear to god if I wasn't about to vomit I'd" Her threat was cut short when she vomited.

"Gibbs, is Megan okay?" Fessa signed.

"She's gonna be fine Fessa." Gibbs replied as he turned all of his attention to the sick Sciuto.

"I spent three weeks in another country and get food poisoning from pizza I ate at Orlando International Airport." Megan said, groaning at the raspy sound of her own voice.

"I'm going to have to agree with Matt on this one Meg, and say life sucks." Gibbs said, trying to lighten the mood.

Up on the third floor, the main focus was getting sound to go with the picture.

"McGee, where is the sound?" Jenny asked.

"Um, there isn't any sound, director. The fall must've damaged it." McGee said.

"Then get Abby up here. I need to know what Gibbs is saying and she can read lips." Jen instructed.

"Actually, Abby's lip reading skills suck. But since she is our legal guardian until further notice, you should probably go get her McGee. Tell her Gibbs is taking good care of them all." Mike said.

After getting visual permission from the director, McGee did as he was told.

Mike Sciuto grabbed his crutches off the floor and hobbled his way over closer to the plasma.

Director Sheppard silently watched as he closed studied the screen.

"Is there a remote to this somewhere, Director?" He asked.

"That has to stay up, Mike." Jenny said.

"I know, but I left my glasses at my house in Georgia so I need to zoom in on their lips if you or anybody for that matter, expects me to read lips." Mike said.

"Why didn't you tell me you could read lips before?" Jenny asked.

"You didn't ask, director. The best way to keep a secret is to keep it to yourself." Mike said, smiling.

"Jethro taught you his rules?" Jenny asked shocked.

"Yeah, I know all fifty. Actually, I helped him create one of the rules." Mike said.

"Really, which number?"

"Number 47." Mike said.

"Never, ever fart in Abby's lab during the summer?" Jen questioned.

"That's the one. Although, before you ask; I wasn't the one that farted. It was my sister, Meg. She's the one Gibbs is talking to. You know, the one the looks like she's gonna hurl. Don't tell her I said this, but she has got the worst smelling farts of anyone I've ever met. We all called her Stinky growing up, even Gibbs." Mike said.

"How well do you Jethro?" Jen asked.

"Pretty good, he's my godfather." Mike said.

"Well, that must be--" Jen was cut off when Mike quickly put up a hand to silence her, nearly loosing his balance on his crutches.

"What's happening?" Jen asked, trying to hide her deep concern.

Mike didn't have a chance to answer her because Abby came running into the bull pen on one of her rambles, much like her hospital entrance when Pin-Pin Pula blew up Gibbs.

"Iron Mike, I'm so happy to see you. McGee said that something about an elevator crash and that my cousins were trapped with Gibbs and I went to try and call Gibbs but forgot my phone in my lab and McGee said there was no time to go back and get it because the director said you needed me up here and" Abby's rant would have continued but Mike cut her off.

"Abby, listen to me!" Mike shouted over her ranting.

"What? What is it? It's bad isn't it?" Abby asked rapidly.

"Abby, please just look at the plasma." Mike said.

Abby whipped her head around and faced the plasma, however it didn't give her any relief, it only added fuel to her fire of worry and concern.

Just when Abby thought things couldn't get any worse, Tony chose that exact moment to arrive with the M.P's.

**TBC**


	6. The Sciuto Squad

**Chapter Six**: The Sciuto Squad

**A/N**: Sorry this chapter took so long, I got a bit of a writer's block. In fact, I'm still not completely satisfied with the way this chapter turned out, so I could really use your input. Thanks and as always, I hope you enjoy the next chapter of "All in the Family"

When Tony arrived with the M.P.s, he quickly noticed they now had video inside the elevator. He saw Gibbs on the plasma screen with what he assumed were three of Abby's cousins, the only ones he hadn't met.

He also noticed that Mike Sciuto was standing only a few feet away from the plasma, closely studying it.

"Director, the M.P.s are here." Tony announced.

"Director Sheppard, your agent said something about a hostage situation." One of the M.P,'s Morrison according to his uniform, said.

"It's not a hostage situation exactly. One of my agents is trapped in our elevator with three minors. We have live video feed from the elevator but there's no sound. Luckily, we have someone hear who can lip read, so he's our ears inside the elevator for now."

"Have you had any communications with your man inside?" Morrison asked.

"No, he left his cell phone at his desk." The director said.

"What about the teenagers?" Morrison asked.

"What about them?" McGee asked.

"They must have cell phones." Morrison said.

"Of course, they do! Why didn't you think of that McGee!" Abby yelled, reaching into her pocket for her cell phone only to remember she left it at home.

"Of course, the one day I actually need my cell phone I leave it at home." Abby said, mentally slapping herself.

"Mike, do you have your phone?" Abby asked her cousin, who seemed to be in another world.

"Mike!" Abby repeated, louder.

"Iron Mike!" Abby yelled, causing Mike to jump.

"What?" He asked annoyed.

"Where's your cell phone?" Abby asked.

"I left it in autopsy. I sent the twins to go get it. Why?" Mike asked.

"We gotta try calling Matt or Megan's cell phones since Gibbs forgot his." Abby said.

"Oh right, well we just got our numbers changed but I think I remember Matt's." Mike said, hobbling over to the closest desk, Tony's and picking up his phone.

"Wait a minute Mike, did you say you sent your brothers to get your phone?" Abby asked.

"Yeah, why?" Mike asked.

"Alone?" Abby asked.

"Whoops?" Mike said, smiling.

Abby resisted the urge to throw something at him, knowing he was trying to help.

Mike punched in the number, and watched the plasma, hoping Matt would react. Matt didn't react, but Megan did.

Inside the elevator Megan felt the familiar vibrating of her cell phone and went to reach into her pocket, only to be struck with a searing bolt of white hot pain in her arm. She hissed in pain and moments later vomited for a second time.

Gibbs was kneeling by her side in an instant.

"Meg, what is it?" He asked, clearly concerned.

"My arm. It really hurts." She said.

"Where is the pain worst?" Gibbs asked, as he tried to get a glimpse at her arm without causing her anymore pain.

She didn't answer, just moaned and leaned her head against the elevator wall.

"Meg, which arm?" Gibbs asked, stepping in front of Megan so he could see her arm.

"No!" Mike exclaimed loudly while watching the plasma from Tony's desk.

"What is it?" The director asked.

"There's something wrong with Meg, but Gibbs stepped in front of her and is facing away from the camera. I have no clue what they're saying." Mike quickly explained.

"Oh god, it really hurts." Megan said.

Gibbs could hear the pain in her voice and when he finally saw her right hand, which she was cradling with the left, he knew why.

Her wright wrist was already twice, if not three times the size of her left. It was definitely broken.

"Okay, Meg, it looks like you broke your wrist. You probably fell on it when the elevator crashed and were in shock before now. I'm gonna get the emergency first aid kit from over there, just sit tight." Gibbs said, as he stood up and walked the short distance to the far side of the elevator.

"Matt?" Megan asked, desperately wanting the comfort of her "older" brother. Like Daniel, Dylan, and Fessa, Matthew, Megan, and Michael were triplets born just a few minutes apart.

The section of the NCIS squad room, belonging to Gibbs was silent as they watched the events in the elevator unfold on the plasma.

Ziva had just arrived with several firemen and EMTs, and knew the silence probably meant something bad was happening.

When she saw Gibbs opening the elevator's first aid kit, Ziva knew her fears of something bad were true.

"Director, the rescue crew is here." Ziva said, hating to break the silence of the room.

McGee, Tony, and the Director quickly turned their attention to Ziva while the rest of the room continued watching the plasma.

"Director, I'm Lt. Brian Kirk, do you have a sit rep?" Lt. Kirk asked, while several firemen crossed the room to the elevator doors and set down their equipment.

"Yes, I do Lt. Kirk. NCIS Special Agent Gibbs is trapped in our elevator along with three children, one of which is sick and injured but at this time, we don't know the extent of her injuries. We have a live camera feed but no sound, and we're working on opening some form of communication with Agent Gibbs." The director said.

"Alright, we're gonna get to work director. It would be very helpful if you could keep all non-essential people out of the area to decrease the risk of further injury." Lt. Kirk said.

"Ziva, McGee, rope off an area around the elevator so the rescue crew can work." The director said.

"Do we know names and ages of the children?" Lt. Kirk asked.

The director looked at Abby who nodded.

"The youngest, Fessa, is six and deaf. The teenagers are Matthew and Megan Sciuto, and they're both 18." Abby said.

"Wait a minute. I thought Matt and Mike were twins?" Tony asked, clearly confused.

"They're identical twins, Tony, just like Daniel and Dylan. But also just like Daniel and Dylan, they are also triplets." Abby explained.

"So your Uncle Larry has two sets of triplets? Wow, what are the odds of that?" Tony asked.

"One in something with a lot of zeros at the end." Abby said.

Tony, help Mike try to get a hold of Gibbs. I'm going to find Ducky." The director said, before quickly taking off for the stairs.

A few minutes after she left, Director Sheppard returned with Ducky, as well as Daniel and Dylan.

Daniel and Dylan were more interested in getting their two bucks, than the complex rescue mission under way, which only added to the already stressful situation.

Two hours later, a terrified Fessa was pulled up the elevator shaft by a firefighter on a harness. Abby grabbed her from the firefighter, Tom, and carried her over to a waiting stretcher, and several EMTs.

She translated the EMT's commands as they carefully checked her over for injuries.

Over the next half hour, Gibbs, Matthew, and Megan were pulled up the elevator shaft one by one, although two of them were pulled out unconscious, in serious need of some medical attention.

Six year old twins Daniel and Dylan Sciuto watched the firemen rescue Gibbs and their siblings, but Tony knew they were far more interested in something other than the safety of their family.

They were running around the third floor screaming "Firetrucks! Firetrucks! We wanna ride in the firetrucks!"

**TBC**

A/N: I know this chapter was kind of on the dramatic side, with little, if any humor, and a lot of kinda boring information but I promise the next chapter will be much more humorous.


	7. The Waiting Game

**Chapter Seven:** The Waiting Game

**A/N:** Thanks for all the reviews as always and sorry for the crappy chapter name, it's the only thing I could think of. But hopefully, my writing skills are better than my chapter naming skills.

* * *

Abby was going crazy with worry.

It'd been over two hours since they arrived at the hospital and they still had word on how her eighteen year old cousins Matthew and Megan Sciuto, were doing.

The only thing she knew about her cousins conditions was what Gibbs had told her and although she completely trusted every word he said, his information was hours old which did very little to calm her frantic nerves.

Abby knew that Matt had some sort of a head injury, most likely a concussion of some form.

Megan on the other hand, spiked a fever in the elevator, vomited several times, and had a broken wrist.

Abby hadn't sat still more than five minutes, and neither had the twins.

Gibbs assigned Tony, Ziva, and McGee to watch Daniel, Dylan, and Fessa. Fessa fell asleep within thirty minutes, after all she had been through a horrible ordeal.

But as Tony already knew and as Ziva and McGee soon found out, trouble seemed to find Daniel and Dylan where ever they go.

After being in the waiting room for an hour, Tony realized one advantage of having 'Double Trouble' with him: they sure could clear out the place.

The waiting room had been fairly busy then they first arrived, but over the course of their first hour of waiting, the twins did a fairly good job at getting people to move to the opposite end.

Well, it was either the twins or Abby, Tony was sure which. It was probably both.

Although, when they started chanting "We're hungry, when's lunch?" in unison for twenty minutes straight, Tony was almost certain the twins had the strongest 'clearing out' factor.

"Jethro, should I take them to the cafeteria?" Ducky offered, once he reached his breaking point.

"Ducky, I don't think that's a good idea or are you forgetting how Dylan got the nickname Destroyer Dill?" Gibbs said.

"Good point, Jethro, but the poor children do need something to eat." Ducky said.

"I saw some bending machines on the way in." Ziva said.

"Vending." Tony corrected.

"Whatever." Ziva said.

"Well, it's not the healthiest choice but I suppose it'll have to do." Ducky said.

"Um, I'll go with Ducky if you want boss." McGee offered quickly.

"Fine." Gibbs said.

As soon as Ducky and McGee disappeared, Iron Mike grabbed his crutches and got out of his chair.

Ducky had been insisting Iron Mike stay off his bad leg, but like all other teenage boys, Mike doesn't respond well to being confined to a chair.

Ten minutes later Iron Mike was roaming around the nearly empty waiting room, glad to stretch his legs.

"Michael Albert Jethro! If you don't sit down and elevate your leg like I've repeatedly told you to, I'm going to get a nurse to restrain you to a chair for the duration of our stay." Ducky said as he walked back into the waiting room with goodies from the vending machines.

"Aw, you wouldn't let them do that to me, would you Gibbs?" Mike asked as he hobbled over to Ducky to see what his choice of snacks and drinks were.

Before Gibbs had a chance to answer, Ducky butted in.

"Actually, Michael, as your godfather, I'm quite sure Jethro wouldn't want you to further injure yourself one week after having surgery." Ducky said.

Gibbs knew when it came to medical treatment, there was no use in arguing with his best friend.

"You know Ducky's right Mike. Besides, how do you think Abby would handle having three cousins in the emergency room?" Gibbs asked.

Mike quickly glanced across the waiting room where Abby was pacing back and forth and shook his head.

"I think she'd probably strangle the nurse at the front desk." Mike said, smiling at the thought of Abby strangling the annoying nurse.

"And I'm sure you don't want Abigail getting arrested for murder, do you Michael?" Ducky asked, as he motioned to the seat Michael had been sitting in before he and McGee left to raid the vending machines.

While Mike let out a loud sigh of frustration as he sat back down, Abby walked past him in her pacing.

"Abs, why don't you take a seat?" Gibbs asked, trying to end her frantic pacing.

"I can't Gibbs, we've been here two hours and they haven't told us anything!" Abby snapped before quickly turning and walking to the other side of the waiting room.

Gibbs easily caught up with Abby and gently grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop and face him.

In the background Gibbs could hear the twins arguing over their 'lunch'.

"I saw them first, Daniel!"

"No, you didn't, I did Dylan!"

"Well, I've got them now so that means there mine!"

"That's not fair, you stole them from me!"

Once Gibbs saw that Ziva had the boys separated and Tony held the bag of chips they were fighting over, Gibbs returned his full attention to Abby.

"Abby, you need to sit down. Your gonna wear yourself out." Gibbs said.

"I don't care Gibbs!" Abby said, angrily.

"What about the floor?" Gibbs asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

"The floor?! Your worried about the floor! I haven't even been their guardian 72 hours and two of them are already in the ER! Gibbs, this is all my fault." Abby said.

"Did you make that elevator cable snap?" Gibbs asked seriously.

"No but--" Abby started to answer but Gibbs didn't give her the chance.

"No but nothing. It's not your fault. Matt and Meg are gonna need you when they wake up, and you'll be no good to them if your dead on your feet." Gibbs said.

Abby looked Gibbs directly in the eyes, and silently returned to the other side of the waiting room and sat down.

Seconds after she sat down, the large double doors labeled 'Authorized Personell Only Beyond This Point' opened and a doctor walked out.

"I'm looking for the parents of Matthew and Megan Sciuto" He said and Abby shot out of her chair and rushed over to the doctor.

Gibbs and Ducky were right behind her.

"Your their mother?" The doctor, Dr. Richards, according to his lab coat, asked.

"No, I'm their cousin Abby Sciuto. There father's in a coma and I have temporary custody of them. How are they? What's wrong with them? What took you so long? Are they okay?" Abby asked rapidly.

"Miss Sciuto, please calm down, they're going to be fine." Dr. Richards said.

"Then why didn't you tell us that two hours ago?!" Abby yelled.

Gibbs put a gentle hand on her shoulder in an effort to calm her.

"Miss Sciuto, your cousins were both in very serious condition when they arrived and it took our trauma teams a while to get them stable." Dr. Richards said calmly.

"But they're okay now?" Abby asked, slightly less panicked.

"They should be fine, Miss Sciuto." Dr. Richards said, unknowingly setting off a gasket.

"Should be? I don't wanna hear should be, I wanna hear will be!" Abby snapped, her panic returning in full force.

"Miss Sciuto, both of your cousins are stable at the moment but they are not completely out of the woods yet." Dr. Richards said.

"Are they awake?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes, they're both awake." Dr. Richards said.

"I need to see them." Abby demanded.

"Of course, but hospital policy only allows one visitor per patient. Luckily they're in the same room, so two of you can go in. They're in room 212, I'll have a nurse show" Dr. Richards was cut off when a nurse came running into the waiting room.

"Dr. Richards, we've got a code in 212!" She said.

"Get the code team. I'm sorry, you need to stay here." Dr. Richards said before running through the double doors after the nurse.

**TBC**

**A/N: I know I'm evil, another cliff hanger, but I'm feeling nice so I'll give you a hint. Next chapter, my eight years of watching ER and the Discovery Health Channel as well as some interesting personal ER experiences will come in very handy.**


	8. Chapter 8

Ignoring his orders to stay put, Ducky, Gibbs, and Abby followed Dr. Richards as he ran to room 212.

As soon as they reached the 200s, they could hear yelling coming from room 212. Once they reached 212 Abby realized most of the screaming was coming from her cousin Matthew.

Once they entered the crowded room Abby was shocked at what she saw.

There was a team of doctors and nurses working on Megan, who gasping for breath, barely getting any oxygen.

But was even more disturbing than seeing Megan literally in the fight of her life was the reaction coming from her brother a few feet away.

Two male nurses were actually holding him back so they doctors could work and he wasn't happy.

He was screaming "Your killing her! Your killing my sister! She told you! She told you and you didn't listen!"

Ducky noticed Matt had ripped out his IV and was now bleeding from his arm. While Ducky rushed over to Matthew's bedside to stop his bleeding, Abby was clutching onto Gibbs as they watched the ER staff, lead by Dr. Richards, try to save Megan.

After lowering the bed, Dr. Richards expertly grabbed the intubation kit the nurse handed him in an effort to give Megan the oxygen she desperately needed.

"Damn, I can't see the cords. Her throat's completely swollen shut. Push another two of epi and keep bagging. Let's give the epi some time to work or I'll have to trake her." Dr. Richards said.

As one nurse administered the medication another one monitored Megan's vitals.

"Pulse ox is still 87."

The next few minutes seemed like hours for Abby and Gibbs as they watched the doctors work. Finally, Megan's pulse ox reached 93 and the alarms slowly died down.

After one final dose of epi Megan finally let out a gasp and shot up in the bed, with a look of utter fear and confusion on her face.

As Dr. Richards issued a few words of reassurance, Abby and Gibbs rushed over to Megan's bedside.

A nurse but an oxygen mask on Megan, but as soon as the nurse left her bedside, Megan pulled it off.

While Abby comforted the confused Megan, Gibbs turned his attention to Matthew, who had such a look of rage on his face it startled Gibbs.

When Dr. Richards reached Matt's bedside, Matt lunged at him, punching his doctor in the face and tackling him to the floor.

Gibbs reached Matt first, and struggled to pull the boy off his doctor.

Gibbs had no clue what was going on with the normally quiet and restrained teenager.

"What's wrong with you?" Gibbs asked once he successfully pulled Matt off the doctor and sat him on the hospital bed.

"He almost killed Meg, Gibbs." Matt said matter of factly.

"Matthew, it appears Megan had an allergic reaction to something, I'm sure Dr. Richards didn't know." Ducky said, trying to calm the angry teen.

"Yes, he did. Meg told Dr. Dick she was allergic to something and he gave it to her anyway." Matt said angrily.

"Surely that is the case, is it Dr. Richards?" Ducky asked.

"I, I uh--" Dr. Richards didn't want to openly admit he made a mistake, especially to a very angry looking man with a gun.

Forty minutes later, Matt and Megan Sciuto watched from their beds as their doctor, who they called Dr. Dick, got blasted by Abby, Gibbs, and Ducky.

"Look at him Matt, he looks like he's gonna crap himself." Megan said with a smile.

"I know, I can't believe Gibbs hasn't shot him yet Meg." Matt said.

As if on cue, Gibbs suddenly pulled out his gun and all the color drained from Dr. Richards face.

"So what your saying is you almost killed my cousin because she insulted you?" Abby asked, shocked and angry.

"No, that's not what I said. Please, Agent Gibbs, do you know how many people are killed by accidental gun fire every year?" The doctor asked, trying to get Gibbs to lower his weapon.

"I do and let me assure you, if my gun goes off, it won't be an accident." Gibbs said bitterly.

"Jethro, surely you know more painful ways to kill a man and the last thing we need is more hospital staff involved." Ducky said.

Gibbs thought about what Ducky said and eventually lowered his weapon, although he didn't return it to it's hostler.

Inside room 212, Matt and Megan Sciuto both let out sighs of disappointment when Gibbs lowered his weapon.

Matt was about to shout "Shoot him" when the hospital P.A. System interfered with his plan.

"Dr. Richards you have a call on line 2, Dr. Richards line 2." An annoying female voice blasted through the speaker in the ceiling.

They watched Dr. Richards walk into their room, pick up the phone, and after only a couple seconds he hung up.

He walked out, said something to Gibbs and then after a few words with Ducky, Gibbs swiftly took off down the hall.

Matt and Meg exchanged equal looks of confusion, but never had a change to speak before Ducky and Abby entered their room.

"Matthew, Megan, how are you two feeling?" Ducky asked.

"We'd be better if we could get out of here Ducky." Megan said.

"Don't even think about it." Abby said.

"We wouldn't dream of it." Matt said with a smile.

"Now why don't I believe that?" Abby asked.

"Because you know us." Megan answered, also with a smile.

"Exactly. So how was Korea?" Abby asked.

"Sweet, we took home 12 trophies in total. Meg got 1st in forms." Matt explained.

"Matthew, if you don't mind my asking, what exactly were you doing in Korea?" Ducky asked.

"Sorry, Duckman, I thought Abby told you. Meg and I were in Korea for three weeks competing in a World Karate Championship. You know we're both third degree black belts, right?" Matt asked.

"Yes, I just didn't realize there were competitions." Ducky said.

"Well, this was our first year competing. You have to be 18." Megan added.

"Well, that's quite an accomplishment. If I recall correctly, didn't you and your siblings get your nicknames through your karate?" Ducky said.

"Yep, you recalled correctly. Like all your stories, there's a very interesting tale behind all our nicknames: HazMat, Meganomix, Major Iron Mike, Destroyer Dill, Dan the Man, and Fessa." Matt said, listing all the nicknames of the Sciutos.

"Yes, they're quite confusing." Ducky said.

"You should hear the nicknames of some of their friends." Gibbs said as he walked in, carrying Fessa who was half asleep on his shoulder.

"Gibbs, you let us down." Matt said seriously.

"How'd he do that?" Abby asked.

"You didn't shoot Dr. Dick." Megan said.

"Dr. Dick? That's an interesting nickname." Gibbs said.

"Do you get it? You know, Dick is short for Richard and since his name is Dr. Richards we thought it was fitting." Matt explained.

"I think, it suits him." Gibbs said.

Fessa picked her head up and noticed her big sister's arm in a cast.

She quickly signed 'Gibbs, Megan is all dinged up'

Everyone in the room cracked up at her comment, expect Ducky, who of course, didn't know sign language.

Megan was about to sign back until she realized she couldn't sign with only one hand.

"Dinged up? What am I, a car?" Megan asked, knowing her younger siblings refer to any damaged cars as 'dinged up'.

"So, Ducky, when do the docs say we can leave?" Matt asked.

"And by docs, we mean M.D. Standing for medical degree, not mentally defective." Megan added.

"I'm afraid you will both need to spend the night but, if everything goes well tonight I see no reason why the both of you couldn't leave tomorrow." Ducky said.

"Awesome." Matt said.

"But, once you are released, you both will have to monitored closely at least for a few days so you won't be allowed to stay home alone." Ducky added.

"You know what that means? It's take your cousins to work week." Abby said excitedly.


	9. Living Arrangements

All in the Family Chapter 9: **Living Arrangements**

* * *

Just as Ducky predicted, Matt and Megan Sciuto were released from the hospital the following day.

They were supposed to be released at 11:00 am, but Megan spiked a fever of 102, which kept them there until 2:00 pm.

By the time Matt, Megan, Abby, and Gibbs made it to his car they were all eager to get home.

However, minutes after Gibbs sped out of the hospital parking lot they came to a sudden stop.

"I hate traffic." Gibbs exclaimed after recovering from the sudden stop.

All four lanes were at a standstill, and there was no exit for several miles.

"You guys okay?" Abby asked, turning to face her cousins in the back seat.

"We're fine." Matt said.

"Yeah, 18 years of Gibbs driving has pretty much made us immune to injuries from sudden stops." Megan added with a smile.

Abby quickly noticed Megan and Matt were hunched over the laptop seated in between them.

"What are you guys up to?" Abby asked.

"Nothing!" They both exclaimed at the same time.

"Now why don't I believe that?" Gibbs asked, looking at the pair through the rear view mirror.

"Because your know them." Abby answered for her cousins.

Matt and Megan both had huge grins on their faces.

"Can you at least promise me it's legal?" Abby asked.

"Oh, it's legal all right." Megan said.

"Definitely." Matt added.

"You know what, I don't even wanna know." Abby said, as she returned to looking out her side window.

Twenty minutes later Gibbs had only managed to inch forward a few feet.

He glanced at the rear view mirror and saw that Matt and Megan were no longer staring intently at the laptop. The laptop was now resting in Matt's lap, and he was wearing headphones laughing at something on the laptop.

Megan, on the other hand, was sound asleep leaning against the car door. Her temporary fiberglass cast was safely tucked away in the dark blue sling given to her. Gibbs assumed it was the combination of pain medication and her fever which had her so exhausted.

Abby had also noticed the silence in the back seat.

"Someone asleep?" She asked without looking in the back seat.

"Megan, Matt's doing something with his computer." Gibbs answered.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure that's Megan's laptop." Abby said, earning a glare from Gibbs.

"I guess this is as good a place as any to discuss living arrangements because now that no one's in the hospital we're not all going to fit under one roof." Gibbs said

"That's for sure, neither one of us have the space for three teenagers and three six year olds. It's just not humanly possible, so we're going to have to split them into threes." Abby agreed.

"So who gets which three?" Gibbs asked, stealing a quick glance at the back seat.

"Well, obviously we can't split them into triplets because that just won't work. Daniel, Dylan, and Fessa would drive even you crazy after one night not to mention Ducky says we need to keep an eye on the Three Musketeers. With one cripple, one concussed, and one contagious, I wouldn't want them all under one roof, or even on the same street for that matter." Abby said quickly.

"So the big question remains. Who goes where? Do you have a preference?" Gibbs asked.

"No, but I know you do." Abby said, getting an awkward look from Gibbs.

"Don't give me that look, Gibbs. You and I both know Fessa adores you, she follows you everywhere and Megan is definitely your favorite of the three Musketeers." Abby explained.

Gibbs thought about what Abby said briefly before deciding how to respond.

"I suppose you do have a point. If I get Meg and Fessa, you do realize you have to take Matt, right?" Gibbs asked.

"Oh yeah, I know. There's no way we're putting Megan and Matt or Daniel and Dylan together. They get into so much trouble when they're together. It's like they feed off each other's negative energy." Abby said.

"Well, since Fessa's so well behaved and Meg can't get into too much trouble without her brothers to fuel her, I should take the trouble maker. Daniel's mine too." Gibbs said.

"Then it's settled. You take Megan, Fessa, and Daniel, and Matt, Mike, and Dylan are mine." Abby said.

Gibbs was about to mutter something about the traffic as they crept forward another few feet but he was cut off by the ringing of Abby's cell phone.

Without looking at her caller ID she answered, "You've reached hell, this is Abby, how can I direct your call?"

Gibbs watched Abby's facial expression as he tried to figure out who was calling.

"Oh, hey Tony. Are you having fun baby sitting?" Abby asked.

Gibbs was working on ease dropping but the ringing of his own cell phone quickly forced him to change his plans.

"Gibbs, speak!" Gibbs instructed.

"Ziva, I thought you were baby sitting with DiNozzo and McGee?" Gibbs asked once Ziva identified herself.

Both Gibbs and Abby were only half listening to the person on the other line because they were both so busy listening to the other's conversation.

"What?!?!" Gibbs exclaimed suddenly causing Abby to jump slightly.

"Hold on a minute. Abs, Ziva wants a word with you." Gibbs said.

"Well that's funny because Tony wants to talk to you." Abby said.

They quickly exchanged cell phones and got on with their conversations.

After about a minute of listening to Tony and Ziva, Abby and Gibbs both turned at the exact same time to face the back seat.

All eyes were on the two teenagers sitting silently in the back seat. Both Abby and Gibbs had since ended their phone conversations, but hadn't switched phones yet.

With one hand on the steering wheel and holding the phone, Gibbs used his free hand to head smack Matt, who instantly responded.

"Ow, what was that for?" Matt asked as he removed his headphones.

Just as Gibbs was about to respond he was forced to face forward as his lane of traffic finally started moving. It didn't take long for Gibbs to recover.

"What do you think?" Gibbs asked angrily.

"I don't know, why do you think I'm asking." Matt said.

"I just got off the phone with Tony." Gibbs said, as he finally hit 30 mph.

"Oh." Matt said simply.

"And I just talked to Ziva." Abby added.

Matt didn't say anything, just smiled.

"It seems they both got some incriminating e-mails. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?" Gibbs asked through the rear view mirror since he needed to keep his eyes on the road as he hit 50 mph.

"It wasn't my idea?" Matt said with a shrug.

"I'm sure it wasn't but that's not a good enough excuse." Abby said.

"I have a concussion?" Matt tried again.

"That's not gonna cut it either." Gibbs said.

"But at least it's true." Abby commented.

"Hey, it wasn't my idea! Honestly, Meg came up with it." Matt said defensively.

"I don't care, you still helped her carry out the plan which means you get to share the blame." Abby said.

"Share the blame? I don't see Meg getting yelled at!" Matt said angrily.

"She's asleep, she has a fever, and a broken wrist." Abby said.

"And I have a concussion." Matt said.

"Enough, Matt. We're almost to the Navy yard. Your going to stay with Abby and Meg's going to stay with me. That way you two won't get into anymore trouble." Gibbs said calmly as he approached the gates to the Navy yard.

"You can't do that, Gibbs!" Matt said, clearly upset.

"Take it easy, Matt. It's not like your never going to talk to her again. You'll see her every day but you'll be sleeping under two different roofs." Abby explained.

"This is totally unfair, Abby. It sucks." Matt said.

"I'm sure you and your sister will be working on your next big scheme in a matter of hours. Now do us a favor and wake Megan up. Tell her we're almost here." Abby said.

Matt let out an unnecessarily loud sigh and closed the laptop.

"Meg, you gotta get up." Matt said.

When he got no reaction, he tried again, this time speaking louder.

"Hey, Meg! Come on, we're here."

He still got no response, so this time he shook his sister's shoulder.

"Meg! Come on, you don't wanna miss the looks on Tony and Ziva's faces." Matt tried.

When he still got no response, he was starting to freak out.

"Gibbs! She's not waking up!" Matt said, panicked.

"What?" Abby asked shocked.

* * *

**TBC**

**A/N:** Sorry this chapter took so long, I spent four days in the hospital so I've been a little busy.


	10. Chapter 10

All in the Family: Chapter Ten

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, especially regarding my hospital stay. You all made me very happy, or it could have been the oxycodone, but I'll give you guys the credit. I was in the hospital because I got _**severe hemorrhagic cellulitis**_ in my right knee that required some major IV antibiotics. My doctors all said it's the worst and strangest case of cellulitis they've ever seen! And for all you House MD fans, my case is going to be featured in the New England Journal of Medicine and possibly on the Discovery Health show "Diagnosis X" which is basically the same thing as "House" with real cases. Now, enough about me and my knee. On with the next chapter!

Gibbs had just passed through the main gate on the Navy yard so he quickly slammed on his breaks and hopped out of the driver's seat. He was opening the right rear door in seconds, catching Megan so she wouldn't fall out since she was leaning on the door.

"Meg, can you hear me?" Gibbs asked the motionless teenager in his arms.

When he got no response, he checked Megan's neck for a pulse.

He was extremely relieved to find one, slow and steady.

As he called her name, Gibbs gently shook Megan in an attempt to wake her.

Gibbs was about to put Megan back in the car and get her to Ducky as fast as he could, when he caught something Matt said to Abby.

"No way I'm gonna deal with Tony and Ziva by myself."

The mention of Tony made Gibbs think of head slapping.

In one last ditch effort, Gibbs gave Megan a light slap on the back of the head.

Much to his delight and surprise, Megan started moving and her eyes fluttered open.

"Are we there yet?" She asked, fulling out of Gibbs grip.

"Almost." Gibbs said.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Abby said, sticking her head in between the two front seats so she could see Megan.

"What'd I do?" Megan asked, clearly confused.

"You fell asleep and wouldn't wake up." Gibbs told her.

"I do that every day. Dad and I to build an alarm clock for me because we never found one loud enough to actually wake me up. How long was I asleep?" Megan asked.

"Basically the whole trip. You missed some old dude giving Gibbs the finger." Matt said.

"Damn, I really wanted to play License Plate Poker!" Megan said angrily.

"What's License Plate Poker?" Gibbs asked.

"It's a game Uncle Larry and his brothers, Harry, and Gary, invented when they were kids. It's become a family tradition, all the Sciutos know how to play. It's great way to kill time during long car rides." Abby said. (**A/N: **License Plate Poker is a game my great Uncle Joe and his brother, my grandfather, Jack, invented when they were kids. 70 some years later it's still in the family.)

"Apparently, sending inappropriate e-mails to my team members is also a great way to pass the time." Gibbs said.

Megan quickly turned to her brother and slapped him on the shoulder.

"I told you to keep your mouth shut." Megan said.

"I did, Meg! Tony and Ziva must've figured out. They called Gibbs and Abby while you were sleeping." Matt explained.

"Oh, that sucks." Megan said.

"Uh-huh. Watch your head, I'm closing the door." Gibbs warned before slamming the door shut and returning to the driver's seat.

A minute later Gibbs slammed on his brakes as he reached his parking space.

"We're here. Time to pick up the other troops." Abby said cheerfully.

"And time to apologize about some e-mails." Gibbs added, as he got out of the car... again.

Both teens immediately began to protest but a glare from Gibbs silenced them.

Once they stepped out of the elevator third floor, the silence quickly ended.

Matt, Megan, and Abby burst into laughter when they saw McGee and Ziva chasing Daniel and Dylan who were racing through the ball pen on computer chairs.

Gibbs also noticed McGee was heavily limping.

As the twins wheeled past the elevator, Ziva was right behind them while McGee was lagging behind.

"McGee, why are you limping?" Gibbs asked when McGee reached the elevator.

"Uh, um, it's nothing boss. Really. I should go." McGee said before rushing off after Ziva.

When Gibbs arrived at his desk with Abby, Megan and Matt, he quickly noticed DiNozzo was nowhere to be found.

"Where the hell is DiNozzo?!" Gibbs asked angrily as he scanned the bull pen, looking for his senior field agent.

"Excuse me, Agent Gibbs?" Agent Lee asked.

"What?!" Gibbs asked angrily.

"Sorry to bother you sir, but Agent DiNozzo is down with Dr. Mallard." Lee said.

"What's he doing down there, Michelle?" Abby asked.

"He fell down a flight of stairs and Ducky is stitching him up." Lee said.

"Why aren't you in Legal, Agent Lee?" Gibbs asked, slightly less angry than he was moments earlier.

"Agent DiNozzo wanted to see me, sir." Lee said.

"Why?" Gibbs asked.

"He wanted to know if a six year old could be charged with Attempted Murder of a Federal Agent. I told him it was unlikely but I'd look into for him." Lee said.

Abby laughed until she got 'the look' from Gibbs.

"I wonder which one it was." Matt said.

"Probably Daniel. He's always had a thing with stairs." Megan said.

"Oh yeah, Remember the time he found a big flattened box and went flying down two flights of stairs on it?" Matt asked.

"How could I forget? The house keeper he ran over was in the hospital for two weeks and she never could come back to work after that." Megan said.

"Matt, I want you and Abby to stay here and help round up the twins. Meg, your with me." Gibbs instructed.

"Where are we going?" Megan asked.

"To see Ducky." Gibbs said he pointed towards the elevator.

"Why?" Megan asked.

"Because when he's done stitching up DiNozzo, Ducky's gonna check you out." Gibbs said, matter of factly.

"Gibbs!" Megan protested, coming to a sudden stand still a few feet away from the elevator.

"I don't wanna hear it." Gibbs said.

Megan, however, wasn't about to give up. She was still refusing to get in the elevator.

"Come on, Gibbs. I'm fine. Shouldn't we be looking for Fessa and Mike?" Megan asked, hoping to change the subject.

"That can wait a few minutes. Now, get in." Gibbs said, motioning to the now open elevator doors.

When Megan still didn't move, Gibbs gave her a gentle shove and she finally entered the elevator, giving Gibbs a glare only Abby could match.

They reached Autopsy a minute later and sure enough, Gibbs saw his rather angry looking Senior Field Agent sitting on one of the cold metal tables getting sutured by Ducky.

Palmer was nowhere to be found which was probably a good thing considering he and Tony didn't exactly get along, especially when Tony was in a bad mood.

"Duck, I got another patient for you when your done patching up DiNozzo." Gibbs said.

Ducky was about to respond when Tony cut him off, turning to face his boss.

"Boss, I'm never, ever, baby-sitting for you or Abby ever again. Those kids are just plain evil" Tony said seriously.

Gibbs couldn't help but smile. They were definitely unique, although he wouldn't go as far as to call them evil.

**A/N 3**: If my rant in the beginning wasn't enough of a hint, I was high on oxycodone when I wrote this. Sorry for any weirdness or whatever.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Sorry this chapter took so long. I've been in and out of the hospital and have been sick for the past week.

Thirty minutes after Gibbs entered Autopsy with Megan, Ducky had cleared her to go home and finished stitching DiNozzo's head wound.

After sending DiNozzo, Ziva, and McGee home for the night, Gibbs and Abby sat down the six young Sciutos so they could explain their temporary living arrangements.

Megan hadn't said a single word since leaving Autopsy, but Gibbs knew that was her way of protesting, so he wasn't worried.

Once the living "assignments" so to speak were handed out, Abby and Gibbs each took _their _three Sciutos and headed home for the night.

Mike was tired so he didn't really care where he slept, the young ones were happy either way, and Matt and Meg remained clearly unhappy.

As soon as Gibbs entered his house carrying a very tired Fessa and holding onto a still very hyper Daniel, Megan stormed up the stairs and slammed her temporary bedroom door shut.

"Gibbs?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah, bud?"

"Why is Megan so mad?" Daniel asked, causing Gibbs to smile.

"She's mad that she couldn't stay with Matt at Abby's." Gibbs explained.

"Oh." Daniel said simply.

"What's for dinner?" Fessa signed, now standing next to her brother.

"What do you feel like?" Gibbs asked.

"Pizza" she replied.

"Is pizza okay with you Dan?" Gibbs asked.

"Pizza? Yay! I love pizza!" Daniel said excitedly.

"Pizza it is, then. What kind to you want?" Gibbs asked Fessa, knowing she would lip read and Daniel could hear him.

"Cheese!" Fessa signed excitedly.

"No, Fessa! I want sausage!" Daniel told his sister.

"Relax guys, we can get more than one pizza." Gibbs said.

"Really? Can I get 50 million?" Daniel asked happily.

"How about you each get your own pizza." Gibbs suggested.

"Wow, really?" Fessa signed with awe in her eyes.

"Would I lie to you?" Gibbs signed back.

Fessa quickly shook her head no, but then signed "I have to go potty" before running up the stairs.

"What kind of pizza does Meg like?" Gibbs asked Daniel.

"She likes pepperoni, sausage, and bacon." Daniel said matter of factly.

"Okay, I'm gonna go order the food, you can watch TV in your room if you want." Gibbs said, desperately hoping the boy would find a way to stay out of trouble for five minutes.

Daniel happily walked up the steps to 'his' room, which was in fact, Kelly's old bedroom.

Thirty minutes later Gibbs was in his basement working on his boat when he heard a car pull up. Knowing it must be the food, he quickly dropped what he was doing and went up stairs.

He opened the door just as the pizza guy was about to knock, scaring the crap out of him.

"Keep the change." Gibbs said, handing the shocked kid 35 bucks.

As soon as Gibbs was handed his three pizzas, bread sticks, and french fries, he closed the door. Ducky would definitely have a fit if he saw what he was feeding the kids.

Daniel heard the door and came running down.

"Dan, go get your sisters for me." Gibbs instructed while he took the pizzas into his kitchen and grabbed a stack a paper plates.

A few minutes after Daniel went upstairs Fessa entered the kitchen and took a seat at the table.

Daniel walked in a few minutes later with a frustrated expression on his face.

"Gibbs, Megan won't come out of her room." Daniel said, clearly annoyed.

"Alright, a put a slice on the table for you and Fessa. I'll go get Meg. Good work, bud." Gibbs said, patting Daniel's head before heading upstairs.

Sure enough, the door to his guest bedroom was shut tight and when he knocked he got no answer.

"Meg, come on, I know you're in there." Gibbs said through the door.

Gibbs wasn't surprised when he got no answer.

He'd been around Abby lots of times when she was an angry teenager. He was used to a lot of door slamming, yelling, and loud music, the last of which obviously hadn't changed as she grew older.

"Meg, you can't stay in there forever." Gibbs said.

Again, he got nothing.

"Meg, you must be hungry. I ordered pizza. Pepperoni, sausage, and bacon." Gibbs said.

When he still didn't get a response he decided to try another approach. One that usually seemed to work with Abby.

"Meg, if you don't answer me in the next ten seconds I'm going to kick down the door."

He'd actually had to replace five doors in the past fifteen years.

"Go Away Gibbs!" Megan yelled.

Gibbs couldn't help but smile.

"Meg, you stay mad at me all you want but you haven't eaten in 12 hours, I know your hungry." Gibbs said.

"No I'm not, leave me alone!" Megan said.

"Can't do that Meg. Abby would never forgive me if I let you starve." Gibbs said.

Megan didn't reply but Gibbs could hear movement through the door.

Eventually the lock clicked, and the door opened a crack.

Gibbs took one look at Megan's face and knew she wasn't joking about not being hungry.

She was ghost white and looked ready to puke any second.

"Meg, why didn't tell me you felt sick?" Gibbs asked concerned.

She simply shrugged.

Gibbs was about to ask Megan if she needed anything when she suddenly burst out of her room and made a mad dash across the hall to the bathroom.

Gibbs was about to run after her when something in Megan's room caught his attention.

Her laptop was open and sitting on the bed, and strange noises were coming from it.

As Gibbs walked over to the laptop to investigate the strange noises stopped and were replaced by voices.

Familiar voices.

"Hey Meg? Where'd you go?"

Gibbs immediately recognized the voice as that of Matthew Sciuto.

Gibbs shook his head, Matt and Meg were too smart for their own good sometimes.

When Gibbs looked at the laptop's screen, he saw Matt's face in a box and some man in another.

"Matthew Peter Sciuto, what the hell are you doing?" Gibbs asked.

Gibbs watched as the smile quickly disappeared from Matt's face.

"Oh, hey Gibbs. Long time no see." Matt said.

"Where's Gibbs?" The man in the other box asked.

"Look at Megan's web-cam sir." Matt instructed the man.

"I knew that. Agent Gibbs, nice to see you again although I wish it were under better circumstances." The man said.

"Are you George, their boss?" Gibbs asked, finally connecting the face with a name.

"That's me. Hope you don't mind, I was just checking in, seeing how they were doing." George said.

"Not a problem. How's Ginger?" Gibbs asked.

"Filed for divorce ten months ago. I should've listened to you." George said, shaking his head.

George, Gibbs, and Matt talked for several minutes while they waited for Meg to get back.

When she returned Gibbs said a quick goodbye before going down stairs to eat his dinner.

Once Gibbs was gone, George, Megan and Matt spent a good hour discussing work, friends, and food. Eventually George knew he had to tell Megan and Matt the real reason he'd contacted them.

While he was close to all six of the Sciuto kids, he was without a doubt closest to Megan and Matt. He considered them his own children and Larry was like a brother to him. What he was about to tell them would be by far, the hardest thing he'd ever done.

**TBC**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:**

* * *

Wow, I feel really bad. I knew I hadn't updated this story in a while, but didn't realize it'd been over three months. Sorry guys. Hope you can forgive me, my life has just been one disaster after another these past few months with several family and friends, myself included facing serious medical problems.

A good friend of mine that I grew up with was also sent to Iraq although she isn't even twenty. In addition, my godfather, who was also in Iraq until Nov 17, had a very close call. Most importantly, my first pet, my beloved cat Nicky, died of cancer on October 17, 2007. Needless to say, it's been a very hard time for my whole family. But except for my ongoing medical problems, things are looking up and I really hope I can get back into my writing.

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm working on the next chapter and plan to have it up before New Year's Eve.

I also wanted your input on something. Would you guys rather me pick up right where I left of or skip to present time with a flashback resolving the last chapter's cliff hanger? I really can't decide which would be better so please give me a shout with your idea.

Thanks.


	13. The New Norm

All in the Family: The New Norm

**Warning from Author: General spoilers through season 5, adult language, and Papa Smurf Gibbs. This chapter turned out a lot more depressing than I planned. Whoops, I guess I'm a little rusty. I've actually had this completed for over a week but my wireless broadband router broke and it took longer than I excepted for a new one to come through the mail. Sorry.**

It was a little after 2 am on December 29th , and Gibbs sat silently at his kitchen table reminiscing on the changes in his life during the past year since he couldn't sleep.

A year ago he would have been down in the basement working on his boat but the basement now served as a bedroom for Megan Sciuto.

A year ago his life revolved around work and now is life revolved around the Sciutos.

Almost six months after his accident, Larry Sciuto remained comatose in his hospital bed in Georgia. His good friend George, who was like a second father to the kids informed them back in September that the coma was most likely permanent.

Gibbs knew that their current plan wasn't acceptable for long-term use, so he immediately set out for a more permanent solution. Matthew, Megan, and Michael Sciuto already had been accepted at colleges, and had their class schedules set. Gibbs let them decide whether to go to their classes as planned or take some time off. Much to his surprise, all three chose to go to college. Mike lived on campus while Matt and Megan commuted.

Although Gibbs easily adjusted to life as a father figure again, Abby had much more difficultly. It was very hard for her to go from being out all night at clubs to being a role model for her young cousins.

To help Abby adapt and to help provide a more stable environment for the kids, Gibbs decided they all should live together. Shortly after George delivered the news about Larry, Gibbs began designing plans for extensions to his house. In a matter of weeks, his home nearly tripled in size and the noise level reached epic proportions.

Gibbs cherished being the first one up with a silent house every morning.

Abby had forced him into taking off New Year's Eve and New Year's Day but Gibbs and his team did have to work terrorist hot line for the weekend.

Ever since the deaths of Paula Cassidy and her team, Gibbs refused to request the weekend off. He had always been hard on Cassidy, too hard, something Gibbs would always regret because she was a damn good agent and DiNozzo took her death hard.

Gibbs was so buried in his thoughts that he didn't hear the basement steps creaking or the door open.

"Holy shit! Gibbs, what the hell are you doing?" Megan asked, dropping the empty cup she was holding.

"Well Meg, I'm sitting here, drinking coffee." Gibbs said with a smirk.

"Who the hell drinks coffee at two in the morning?!" Megan asked, hiding to hide the fact Gibbs had scared the shit out of her.

"Me." Gibbs said, simply.

Megan slapped in the shoulder before sitting down in the chair across from him.

"Can't sleep?" Gibbs questioned.

Megan shrugged and Gibbs smiled, knowing he had his answer. The only time Megan didn't answer verbally was when she was upset or angry about something.

"Wanna talk?" Gibbs asked.

Megan shot him an angry glare.

"Okay, I'll talk." Gibbs said taking a sip of coffee.

"When you refuse to talk it means one of two things. Your either angry or upset about something. Now, since it's 2 in the morning and you were perfectly happy when you went to bed, you must be upset. You came up here to drink because you can't sleep and I scared you. I know you and your brothers are very bad at expressing your feelings, so you think you need to be alone. But sometimes you need someone to talk to."

Megan flashed a brief smile.

"When'd you get all soft and mushy? You must be getting old." Megan said, earning a soft head slap.

"I'm not old. Just a good observer." Gibbs said.

"More like a good stalker. You figured all that out in 5 minutes?" Megan asked.

"Yep, I'm an investigator." Gibbs said, smirking.

"Yeah, an investigator who hates psychology and yet somehow is surprisingly knowledgeable on the subject." Megan said.

"Hey, I got you talking, didn't I?" Gibbs asked.

"What do you want, a metal?" Megan shot back.

"No, I've got plenty of metals that don't mean a damn thing to me. I want you to talk to me about what's bothering you." Gibbs said.

"Just as long as I don't have to pay you buy the hour." Megan said.

"My services come free of charge." Gibbs said, earning a smile from Megan.

"Great, I'll save the money for gas." Megan said.

"Or a chicken pot pie." Gibbs added.

"I hate chicken pot pie." Megan said.

"Have you ever tried it?" Gibbs asked.

"How could I? I don't even know what it is." Megan said.

"Well then we'll have to try it sometime, won't we?" Gibbs questioned.

"No! No new foods!" Megan yelled.

"Why?" Gibbs asked, puzzled by her outburst.

"Because Gibbs, your not him! You are not him!" She yelled.

"Your father? I'm not your father?" Gibbs questioned.

"Yes, okay?! Your not him, Gibbs. You don't get to be him, okay?!"

"I'll never try to be him Meg. I'm not your father, alright? But I care about you and don't want to see you suffer." Gibbs said.

"I know, I'm sorry." Megan said.

"Don't apologize. It's a--" Gibbs began until Megan cut him off.

"Sign of weakness, I know, I know." Megan said.

Megan suddenly realized how tired she was.

"Thanks for the pep talk Gibbs, but I'm gonna hit the sack." Megan said before quickly slipping back down to the basement.

The remainder of the the night, or morning to be more accurate, was uneventful.

Gibbs left the house at his usual time, 0600. He went for a run, got his first cup of coffee, and made it to the office at 0645.

The morning was uneventful. The phones didn't ring once. At least, not for any business purposes. Everyone had gotten personal calls for some reason. Tony's former Baltimore P.D. Partner called a little after 0700 with news of a break through in an eight year old cold case involving a murdered family. Gibbs had met the man, Vincent Grey, a decent cop but a lousy partner for DiNozzo. Gibbs didn't object when Tony asked for a few days off.

"Catch the bastard, DiNozzo." He'd told Tony.

McGee's sister had two hours later, to see when she could meet Tim for dinner.

Not long after that, MTAC received a high priority call for Ziva. She didn't say a single word about her forty minute conversation, but Gibbs being Gibbs figured out the call was from Deputy Director David, her father.

Abby had also called. Twice. The first time was so he could break up a large argument between Daniel and Dylan. The second time she just wanted to say high.

The office was dead quiet. With Tony not there to harass McGee or throw paper clips at Ziva, for once, they were actually able to get some work done. While Gibbs was out on another coffee run, a visitor stepped out of the elevator.

He silently approached Gibbs desk and cleared his throat.

"Can I help you?" McGee asked the man, who seemed very uneasy.

"I'm looking for Special Agent Gibbs." The man said.

"He's not here right now. But I'm Special Agent McGee, is there something I can help you with?" McGee asked.

"No, I just need to speak to Agent Gibbs." The man said.

"He could be a while. Are you sure we can't help you?" McGee asked, hoping the man had a case for them.

"If I wanted your help kid I would've said so. Now tell me where the hell I can wait for Gibbs!" The man yelled at McGee, who silently pointed to Gibbs' desk.

"Thank you." The man said before collapsing into the chair and pulling out his ipod.

"He looks hung up." Ziva said, once she heard music blaring from the head phones.

"Actually, it's hungover, Ziva." McGee corrected.

They sat in the silence watching the man for several minutes until they heard the familiar ding of the elevator and Gibbs stepping out.

"Boss, you have a visitor." McGee said quickly as soon as Gibbs was in hearing range.

Gibbs glanced at his desk and rushed over to it.

As soon as the man saw Gibbs he pulled out his headphones and turned the iPod off.

"George? Did something happen to Larry?" Gibbs asked, concerned.

"No, he's fine. Well, he's the same which isn't fine. Obviously." George said.

"Spit it out, George." Gibbs said.

"Look man, as soon as I heard, I drove 17 hours non-stop to personally give you this. I'm sorry." George said, pulling out a sealed letter and carefully handing it to Gibbs.

"Tell me who's it from." Gibbs said as he ripped open the envelope.

"Gloria Sciuto."

Gibbs quickly read the letter to himself.

"She's claiming Abby and I are unfit parents. She's filing for immediate full custody of all the kids."

TBC


	14. Rock the Vote

Hello all! I'm sorry to say this isn't an update (yet) but with your help, it could be very soon!

Please go to my poll and vote on which of my stories you would like to see updated first. I won't wait long, only until my 18th birthday (which is **December 4)** because I want to start writing which story has the most votes so I can get it posted by my brother's 21st birthday (which is **December 14**)

So the story which has the most votes when I close the poll on December 4th will get a new chapter posted for their story by December 14th.

I am posting this exact message on every one of my stories so if you want _this one _to be updated, please visit my profile and vote today. This isn't me asking for reviews I just can't decide which story to update first so I'm letting you, my loyal readers decide!

Thanks in advance,  
**luckyducky09** formerly **charmedbabywyatt**


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